Oklahoma Geography and
Geology
Diversity
 70,000 sq miles/45 million acres/18th in size
 “Panhandle”—added in 1890
 Bordered by: Kansas, Colorado, Missouri,
Arkansas, Texas, and New Mexico.
 10 Distinct Geographic regions
 KEY WORD—ANOMALY!
3 MAJOR LANDFORM TYPES:
 Plains—Great Salt
Plains, Red Bed
Plains, Prairie Plains
 Mountains—Ozark,
Ouachita, Arbuckle,
Wichita
 Plateaus/Mesas—
Black Mesa, Ozark
Plateau
10 Geographic Regions





High Plains
Gypsum Hills
Wichita Mountains
Red Bed Plains
Arbuckle Mountains





Sandstone Hills
Prairie Plains
Ozark Plateau
Ouachita Mountains
Red River Plains
High Plains







Northwestern OK
Level grasslands
High elevation
Low precipitation
Buffalo grass
Juniper and Pinion Trees
Economic Activities:
Winter wheat, cattle,
petroleum, natural gas
Gypsum Hills
 Western OK
 Low hills capped with
Gypsum
 Sandy soil
 Extreme temperatures
 Shallow Rivers
 Low precipitation
 Similar to Red Bed
plains
Wichita Mountains
 SW Oklahoma
 Made of Granite and Rhyolite.
 Among the oldest mountains on Earth.
Red Bed Plains










Western/ Central Oklahoma
Largest region in Oklahoma
Rolling prairie
Forest in eastern part
32 inches of rain/ year
Tall bluegrass and short buffalo
grass
Post oak and Black jack oak
trees
Wide rivers
Red soil
Economic Activities: Winter
wheat cotton, cattle, horses,
natural gas, and oil
Arbuckle Mountains
 Southern Oklahoma
 Low mountains
 Unusual rock
formations
 Cattle grazing
Sandstone Hills







North-central Oklahoma
Rolling Hills
Tall prairie grass
Scrub oak trees
Sandy soil
Blackjack and Post oak trees
Oil Drilling began here
Prairie Plains






Northeastern OK
Low Sandstone Ridges
High forested ridges
Rivers run N to S
Bluestem grass
Economic Activities:
Coal, oil, natural gas,
livestock, agriculture
Ozark Plateau/ Ouachita Mtns.
 Northeast OK
 Huge forests filled with Hickory, Oak and
Pine Trees
 Unique rock formations, springs, and
waterfalls,
 Deep rivers
 Economic Activities: Wood pulp processed,
coal, cattle grazing.
Ouachita Mountains
Red River Plains







Southeastern Oklahoma
Low elevation
Sandy soil
Long growing seasons
Pine and Cypress Trees
Agriculture/ Fertile Soil, Livestock,
Evidence of old plantations worked by slave
labor
TWO MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS:
 Arkansas—Cimarron, Verdigris, Canadian, Illinois
 Red—North Fork, Washita, Kiamichi
 All flow West to East…
West to East
 Less rain  more rain
 Higher elevation  lower elevation
 Black Mesa-elevation: 4973 ft.
-rainfall:
15 in/yr
McCurtain County: elevation: 300 ft.
-rainfall:
52 in/yr
Red Dirt
 Very FERTILE!!
 1997 Agricultural production $4,146,351,000
– Crops=22%
– Livestock=78%
Climate
 Warm Gulf air + cool northern air=
TORNADOES—mainly in spring
 Average wind speed= 14 mph; perfect for WIND
power
McClellan-Kerr Navigation System
 McClellan-Kerr Navigation
System—series of locks
and dams on Arkansas
River to decrease flooding,
increase trade/commerce.
 Originates at Tulsa’s Port
of Catoosa and runs
southeast through OK and
Arkansas to Mississippi
River.
Oklahoma Geology
400 Million Years Ago
 Vast prehistoric sea covered this area and plant
and animal debris sank to the sea floor eventually
becoming coal deposits.
300 Million Years Ago
 Volcanic eruptions/ plate shifts caused
mountains to rise up (Arbuckles) and waters
became trapped beneath the surface
(ground water).
 These became aquifers that still supply
water for large areas of Oklahoma
 Oglalla Aquifer could cover the entire
surface of the state to a depth of 7 feet.
– Value: $1 Billion
65 Million Years ago
 Dinosaurs became extinct, but their remains formed what
would become SWAMP TREASURE: PETROLEUM (crude
oil and natural gas).
 Vast oil and gas fields lay beneath OK today as a result.
 1983: value reached a high of $11 Billion
 1997: $6 billion
 OK is among the 5 leading oil producing states
 OK is third highest natural gas producer.
Mineral Industry
 Greatest source of state revenue
 Total oil production: over 14 billion barrels since
1891 (all time high was 1927—278 million barrels)
 Top five oil-producing areas:
– near Ardmore and Healdton in Carter County, near Enid
in Garfield County, and near Guymon in Texas County.
 Total natural gas production: over 85 trillion cubic
feet since 1905.
 The largest Natural Gas fields:
– Texas County and Beaver County and Haskell County
Extra Credit
 What is the scientific name for rose rocks?
 Why is our dirt red?
 When was the most powerful earthquake in
Oklahoma?
 When was the most recent?